15 Greatest Games in Southern Miss Football History

The Golden Eagles hosted TCU at The Rock on Thursday night, Nov. 20, 2003. TCU was 7-0 in Conference USA and ranked No.9 in the Associated Press poll. In front of a crowd of 30,141 and a national ESPN audience, the Horned Frogs outgained the Eagles 429-278, but Southern Miss prevailed where it mattered, taking a 40-28 victory that clinched at least a share of the conference title for the Eagles. With TCU up 3-0, it proved to be their only lead as Southern Miss quarterback Dustin Almond quickly completed a 50-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Daron Lawrence for a 7-3 advantage. Another TCU field goal cut the margin to 7-6 before Southern Miss reeled off 21-straight points to take a 31-6 edge late in the third quarter. TCU rallied to cut the lead to 31-28 with 6:55 remaining, but the Golden Eagles gave themselves a little breathing room with Darren McCaleb's second field goal of the game and sealed the victory after cornerback Greg Brooks forced a TCU fumble and Rod Davis recovered on the 11-yard line. Anthony Harris punched it into the end zone three plays later to give the Eagles their fifth-straight win and improve their season mark to 8-3. The Eagles nailed down the C-USA championship the next week with a win at East Carolina, but the 40-28 victory over TCU on Nov. 20, 2003, will always be remembered as one of the Greatest Games in Southern Miss Football.